HB 181-WAIVE CONTINUING EDUC. REQ FOR MILITARY 2:05:50 PM CHAIR LYNN announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 181 "An Act establishing a waiver for active duty military service of continuing education requirements for renewal of occupational licenses." KAREN LIDSTER, staff to Representative John Coghill, Alaska State Legislature, said there is a committee substitute (CS) to HB 181, and she read the sponsor's statement (original punctuation provided): This legislation is introduced to eliminate the possibility of a professional licensee losing his or her license because of failure to fulfill statutory requirements for continuing education while serving on active duty in a combat zone or area where continuing education classes are not available. Many professional license holders are also members of reserve or auxiliary components of the armed forces. When deployed to a combat zone or area where classes are not available, they no longer have the ability to fulfill the education requirements to maintain their specific license, registration, permit or certificate. HB 181 provides a waiver of the educational requirements and allows the license holder to return to Alaska and have an extended period of time to fulfill the continuing education requirements without losing their license for non-compliance. MS. LIDSTER said the Division of Occupational Licensing recommended leaving the waiver decision to the department instead of individual boards. The CS reflects that change, she said. The House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs changed the term "active duty military" to be more specific of who will be covered under the bill. 2:09:20 PM MS. LIDSTER said that people in remote areas will be covered as well as those in combat zones. 2:10:13 PM CHAIR LYNN said people in staging areas and training facilities may find it impossible to do their continuing education, and he asked if there is a requirement for catching up. MS. LIDSTER said people in staging or training areas will be covered. She added that the department will determine how the waiver will work for specific licenses. CHAIR LYNN said some courses are an aggravation. There will be new courses on top of the ones missed, and a person might not ever catch up. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he appreciates the intent of the bill but has serious concerns about how it will play out. He said licensing boards are very different, and the legislature should hear from each of them. He added that the state bar cannot be regulated by the legislature, making the bill unconstitutional. Many requirements can be done online, and there is the question of catching up, he said. It is a far reaching bill, particularly with healthcare where people's lives could be at stake. "It is essential that we just not totally waive everybody's continuing education requirement," he said. REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS said a doctor who enlists will not "pack a rifle." Someone in a professional field will continue to stay in that field. 2:16:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA said the legislature does not have much control over licensing institutions, but it does have some input with the University of Alaska and some trade schools. MS. LIDSTER said those are good points, and she will work with committee members on a CS. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he could support the original bill with Amendment 1 as follows: Page 1, line 14, after "and" Insert "may" Hearing no objection, Amendment 1 to the original HB 181 was so moved. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG offered Amendment 2 as follows: Page 2, line 1, delete "active duty military service" Insert ""reserve or auxiliary member" means a member of a reserve or auxiliary component of the armed forces of the United States, including the organized militia of the stat, consisting of the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia, and the Alaska State Defense Force, and who is called to active duty by the appropriate state of federal authority" Page 2, line 16, delete "active duty military service" Insert ""reserve or auxiliary member" means a member of a reserve or auxiliary component of the armed forces of the United States, including the organized militia of the stat, consisting of the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia, and the Alaska State Defense Force, and who is called to active duty by the appropriate state of federal authority" Hearing no objection, Amendment 2 to the original HB 181 was so moved. 2:20:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG offered Amendment 3 as follows: Page 2, line 14, delete "shall" Insert "may" Hearing no objection, Amendment 3 to the original HB 181 was so moved. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved to report HB 181, version 24- LS0685\A, as amended out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. Hearing no objection, CSHB 181(MLV) was moved out of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.